IEP Chandigarh
Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatraya who attended the closing ceremony of the 26th All India Forest Sports Meet as the chief guest at Tau Devi Lal Stadium said that Haryana is the hub of state sports and patience and discipline are the capital of victory in sports.
Chhattisgarh bagged the first position by winning the overall trophy while Karnataka was the runner-up.
Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Sh. Gian Chand Gupta, Forest and Wildlife Minister, Sh. Kanwar Pal, Chairman, Haryana Forest Development Corporation, Sh. Dharam Pal Gonder, Chairman, Haryana Public Service Commission, Sh. Alok Verma, vice president, Shivalik Development Board, Sh. Om Prakash Devinagar, Mayor, Panchkula Municipal Corporation, Sh. Kulbhushan Goyal were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Governor, Sh. Bandaru Dattatraya said that it is the result of the dedication among the forest personnel and officials towards the sports that the competitors took part in 273 competitions of about 36 different sports. He said that the employees and officials of the forest department have to work in inaccessible forest areas as part of their duties and thus it is necessary for them to be physically fit and mobile.
“Sports is such a medium by which physical health is maintained and the person’s reflexes are also sharp. Sports are an integral part of the lifestyle of forest personnel and officials,” he added. The Governor said that Haryana is the hub of state sports and patience and discipline are the capital of victory in sports.
Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Sh. Gian Chand Gupta said that sports promote mutual understanding among humans. “Sports give the education of working with team spirit and cooperation. It is also indirectly helpful in spiritual development as sports develop the quality of concentration,” he added.
Forest and Wildlife Minister, Sh. Kanwar Pal said that the All India Forest Sports Meet is a captivating tableau of ‘Mini India’. He said that an energetic body only makes the mind healthy. “Sports keep the human mind happy and motivated. Participation in sports develops tolerance, patience and courage in the players and increases the feeling of collective harmony and brotherhood,” he added.
On the occasion, Additional Director General, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Sh. S.P Yadav, Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana Forest and Environment department, Sh. Vineet Garg, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Sh. Jagdish Chandra, Principal Secretary, Tourism Department, Sh. M.D Sinha, along with senior officers of the forest departments of other states were present.
